Expanded metal with paper back



Mardi 14, 1967 w. B. GoLDswoR'rH-Y 3,308,591

EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPER BACK Filed July 24. 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l WML/.4M BRAND-r GOLDSWOQTHV ATTORN EVSA March 14, 1967 w. B. GoLDswoRrHY 3,303,591

EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPER BACK v Filed July 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 17#` Em n INVENTOR- ATTIDRNEYS March 14, 1967 w. B. GcLDswoRTl-w EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPER BACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 24, 1954 IN1/eww@ WLL/AMmA/or Ga/.aswae my March 14, 1967 w. B. GoLDswoRTHY 3,308,591

EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPER BACK Filed July 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 4j 56 40 42 54 Q/ f4 LrJo. vg 5 ff Mun/w BRA/vor Go/.oswo/e Tuy ./v vw T012 07- roRNEs-.

March 14, 1967 y w. B. GoLDswoRTHY 3,308,591

EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPER BACK Filed July 24, 1964 5 SheetS-Sheet 5 2o "I 132 13o 13s '33 l I I I WML/0M 32AM/DT GoLDsu/oQn/Y INVENTOR A-rvocaNevS United States Patent() 3,363,591 EXPANDED METAL WITH PAPIER BACK William Brandt Goldsworthy, 1230 Monterey Pass Road, Monterey Park, Calif. 91754 Filed July 24, 1964, Ser. No. 385,026 8 Claims. (Si. 52 454) This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 184,111, filed April 2, 1962, now Patent No. 3,116,838. The invention relates to expanded metal and more particularly to expanded metal having a backing or coating of some kind so that the depth of plaster or other material which is applied thereto can be limited to an extent.

The most common expedient employed in recent years for application of the familiar stucco to a -building wall is to nail over the area an expanse of expanded metal or expanded metal lath and to trowel the mortar over the expanded metal lath, pressing it through the holes, so that the mortar keys in place. Ordinarily, when a building wall is to be finished in this fashion, some form of paper, at times waterproof but sometimes merely insulating paper, is lirst tacked to the sheeting and then the expanded metal is nailed in place over the paper. On some occasions furring strips are applied to the surface and the expanded metal attached thereto but on other occasions Where building codes permit, the expanded metal may be nailed or tacked directly to the surface structure. This expedient has worked substantially satisfactorily in the past where troweling has been depended upon to apply the mortar. This has been true whether the mortar is conventional plaster or whether it is in the form of a cement mortar which ultimately sets up like concrete. By following this procedure, the craftsman has been able to determine the amount of depth of mortar applied to the expanded metal to a sufficient degree by controlling the pressure which is used to trowel the material into place.

More recently there has been considerable resort to spraying on mortar which has been prompted to a large degree by the success experienced by a spray-0n process for concrete frequently identified as the Gunite process.

When spray-on techniques are employed for applying plaster, mortar and concrete as mentioned, the depth and quantity of the applied material cannot be as readily controlled partly because of the fact that the force of the spray tends to drive the material Well behind the expanded metal, lling up areas behind the metal to an unnecessarily great degree. This is particularly true when the surface over which the expanded metal is applied is a rough surface or one full of cracks, voids and spaces of various kinds. The dir'iiculty is especially prevalent where the expanded metal is fastened to furring strips under which circumstance the spray-on technique is virtually prohibitive.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved expanded metal sheet whereby there is fastened to the expanded metal a thin sheet of inexpensive material impervious to the penetration of mortar, plaster and grout, by virtue of which the quantity of such material applied to the expanded metal is very definitely limited.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved composite sheet of expanded metal and backing which incorporates a backing of such modest cost as to increase the over-all cost of the expanded metal and its application to a very minimum degree but at the same time provide a very substantial saving in the amount of material which is applied to it, especially by means such as spraying technique.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved composite expanded metal material incorporating expanded metal and a relatively impervious backing such that the composite material need not cornprehend more thanthe materials themselves without need for the employment of auxiliary fastening means to connect the sheets together.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved composite expanded metal material whereby a backing can be provided for the metal portion which is moisture-proof or, in any event, moisture-resistant, and fastened fairly snugly against the ex` panded metal portion so that even though the composite material be attached to a structure wherein there is no substantial backing for the expanded metal, a limited though sufficient quantity of mortar, plaster ory grout can be applied thereto, quickly and easily, either by hand troweling or by spraying and even in a considerably moist condition whereby to produce a dependable structure when` hardened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved composite sheet of ribbed expanded metal, often called rib lath, which is backed by a sheet spaced from the expanded metal by a depth determined in part by the depth of the ribs thereby to limit the thickness of plaster which is applied to it.

With these and other objects in'view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical composite l) sheet of expanded metal and appropriate backing.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a section of the sheet of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational View partially diagrammatic of a typical machine capable of performing the method and producing the composite expanded metal product.

FIGURE 7 is a plan View taken on the line 7 7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is -a cross-sectional View taken on the line 9 9 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line Iii-iti of FIGURE 6,

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line Il ll of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on-the line 12-12 of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 13 13 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken o-n the line I4 14 of FIGURE l0.

FIGURE 15 is a side elevational view of a portion of the mechanism for advancing the expanded metal to the process.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of a slightly lmodilied composite sheet partially broken away to show the interior structure. y

FIGURE 17 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary plan View of a modified form of the device.

FIGURE 19 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 19 19 of FIGURE 18.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line Ztl-20 of FIGURE 18.

FIGURE 2l is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 21--21 of FIGURE 18.

FIGURE 22 is a side perspective view of an alternate form of the invention used with ribbed metal lath.

. In an embodiment of the inventio-n chosen for the purpose of illustration, one form of the product as shown in FIGURES l through 5, inclusive, consists of a sheet of expanded metal, often called expanded metal lath, of which the diamond-shaped pattern is exemplary only. Cross-strips 11 which make up the diamond pattern are tilted slightly and give the sheet appreciable thicknessas is evident from an examination of FIGURES 3, 4 and 5e Attached to the sheet 10 of expanded metal is another sheet 13. Kraft paper or other paper forms for most purposes a very satisfactory sheet, although it is appreciated that the sheet 13 may be virtually any very thin gage, inexpensive, relatively impervious or imperforate material. Examples include other forms of paper and -certain types of synthetic plastic sheet material which has sutlicient body to hold its shape and sufficient strength to enable attachment to the expanded metal.

An added expedient in some forms of expanded metal, and particularly where made necessary by local building codes under circumstances where no furring strips are used, consists of ridges 14 lprovided in the expanded metal at spaced intervals which, when applied against some supporting surface, serve to hold the expanded metal out away from the surface by a distance comparable to the height of the ridges.

In order to attach the sheet 13 to the sheet 10, tongues 15 are punched from the cross-strips 11 of the sheet 10, the punching serving to tear or puncture the sheet 13 forming apertures 16. The apertures 16 need not necessarily be defined by a clean-cut hole but may be merely altorn out hole, torn when the tongue 1,5 is punched out and driven through the sheet. The tongue, moreover, is bent over an edge 17 of the sheet 13, the tongue being forced into engagement with the edge 17 andpressed physically against adjacent portions 13 of cross-strips 11. Moreover, paper `which initially lay where the aperture 16 ultimately shows is bent over on itself forming a flap. 16' which with the sheet 13 forms a double thickness of paper, Ythereby to reinforce the fastening effect of the tongue 1S. By locating the tongues -all on the ridges 14, the sheet 13 tends to be held in a position spaced from the sheet lll forming a space 13' suicient to allow a depth of plaster behind the sheet 1lb, but without, at the same time, allowing a wasteful depth of plaster to be built up.

Although the tongue 15 may be slightly ragged, as may also be the edge 17, the very roughness and raggedness will serve to provide a secure fastening means for attaching the sheet 13 at many points 19 over the area of the sheet 1d of expanded metal. In the chosen embodiment the points 19 lie upon the ridges 14, although it is ap-y preciated that attachments of the same general nature throughout other portions of the sheet 1t) may serve satisfactorily.

To provide a quick, inexpensive and effective method of constructing a composite sheet indicated generally by the reference character 20 which, as shown in FIGURES l through 5, inclusive, is made up of the two sheets 10 and 13, a machine may be provided for automatically attaching large sheets together. Although a variety of types of machinery may be employed, one typical of a satisfactory assembling machine is shown in the drawings consisting of a frame indicated generally by the reference character 2S having a bed 26 and supporting legs 27. At the right end of the bed is a table Z8 having rails 29 at the sides for guiding the sheet 10 of expanded metal. The expanded metal may be hand fed, if desired, to the table where it may be picked up by a carrier and advanced into the machine to the process which attaches the sheets together. To operate the carrier, and incidentally other portions of the machine, there is provided a motor 31 mounted beneath the bed 26 interconnected by a belt 32 with idler pulleys 33 and 34, the belt being driven by a pulley 3S of the motor. As here shown the carrier comprises a projection 36 supported upon links 37 which make up the belt 32. As the belt 32 is driven endlessly around the pulleys, the projection projects up through the diamond pattern of the sheet 10 and carries it forward from right to left into the machine to a location where the process starts.

The sheet 13 which may be paper can be stored upon a paper roll 37, if desired, or at some other convenient location and form such that the sheets can be fed manually or by other means to a paper feed 38 supported in a sloping arrangement by columns 39 at one end and by plates 40 at the other end. Gravity can be depended upon to draw the sheet 13 downwardly into the operation in the absence of a suitable feed means for that purpose. Rollers 41 may be employed for pressing the sheet 13 downwardly as it advances.

As the sheet 1t) of expanded metal is fed to the operation, it is picked up by pairs of forming rolls 42 and 43. The forming rolls 4Z comprise a plurality of rolls keyed to and spaced axiallly upon a shaft 44, the rolls being properly spaced by spacing sleeves 45. Similarly, the forming rolls 43 are carried by and axially spaced along a shaft 46, spacing between the rolls 43 being determined by spacing sleeves 47. The shafts 44 and 46 are driven at the same rates of speed, being interconnected by means of gears 48 and 49. The drive is accomplished by means of a belt 50 extending from the shaft 46 and a suitable pulley 51 thereon to a pulley 52 on a shaft 53 which also serves to mount the belt 32. f

As shown the forming rolls 42 have annular recesses 54 therein and the forming rolls 43 have a wedge-shaped annular contour which mesheswith the recess 54 in each instance. As the forming rolls 42 and 43 roll in counterrotation to each other in engagement with the sheet 1) of expanded metal, these rolls serve to form the ridges 14 heretofore described -as well as to grip the sheet and to advance it through the process, after it becomes disengaged from the projections 36.

In the product formed by the process and machinery herein described, it is desirable to have the paper about one inch shorterthan the expanded metal lath, Therefore, it becomes necessary to provide a means of indexing the paper so that a margin is provided between the edge of the lath and the edge of the paper at each end. The lath itself must also be indexed to make this possible. The index is arranged so that the lirst punched holes always fall at the same distance from the Vedge of the expanded metal which enters the operation. Spacing is accomplished by having the belt 32 upon which is mounted the projection 36 geared to the perforating roll so that it always starts the sheet of expanded metal through the machine in proper timing with the punch position on the perforated rolls. Proper indexing provides a one-half inch space at each end between the edge of the expanded metal and the edge of the paper.

Paper feeding accordingly must be indexed to start at the right point with respect to the expanded metal. To accomplish this, when the leading edge of the expanded metal emerging from the forming rolls engages a cam follower roll 55 on a downwardly extending pivoted arm 56, pivoting about a point 57, the thickness of the metal is sntlicient to raise the cam follower so as to in turn force a roller 53 into engagement with a running idler 59, thereby providing friction drive to conventional rubber disc drive rolls 41 in engagement with the paper which, prior to this pivotal motion, has been restrained along its feeding edge by upwardly extending stops of conventional character (not shown). The same pivotal motion through a conventional mechanism, likewise not shown, may be employed to retract the stops at the same instant as the rubber drive rolls are advanced. The paper is thus fed into position upon the expanded metal at the proper moment for correct indexing. As shown, the idler 59 is mounted upon an arm 61 pivoted at a point 62 and normally drawn by a spring 63 into engagement with a cylindrical drive surface 64.

As the sheet of expanded metal is advanced by the means just described, a sheet 13 of paper or other flexible material is likewise advanced down the paper feed 38 by the paper rollers 41 until the expanded metal and paper meet at a point 65, as shown to the left of the mid-portion of FIGURE 6. When the sheets of expanded metal are manually fed one sheet at a time, the sheets 13 of exible material may also be fed one at a time rather than from a roll like the roll 37 under which circumstances some form of cut-off would need to be automatically supplied. A guide 66 serves to impress the sheet 13 downward-ly into engagement with the sheet and in particular in engagement with the peaks of the ridges 14.

The next step which is undertaken by a set 67 of punching rollers serves to punch out the aps 16 and the tongues 15, extending them through the punched out apertures 16 in the sheet 13 to a position where they can be subsequently bent over to the form previously described. The set 67 of punching rollers are located immediately to the left of the point 65, as shown in FIGURE 6.

The set of punching rollers consists of a lower roller 63 -and an upper roller 69. The relationship of these rollers is shown to good advantage in FIGURES 9, l1, 12 and 13. The roller 68 is carried by a shaft 70 having suitable bearing mounts in brackets 71 and 72. A belt meshing as shown create a eounterrotation in the shaft 70 and a shaft 80, the shaft 80 serving to mount the upper roller 69.

On the shaft 80 discs 81 and 82 on opposite sides of a spacer S3 create a space 84 for reception of teeth 85 on the shaft 70. In the chosen embodiment there are four teeth spaced circumferentially at equal distances around the shaft and fastened by means of adjusting screws 86 in a well-known fashion so that the teeth can -be `adjusted outwardly or inwardly, as may be desired, to produce longer or shorter tongues 15, there being provided suitable adjusting slots 87 for reception of the screws. A recess 88 in the lower roll 68 accommodates the teeth.

As the sheets 10 and 13 together are passed to the set 67 comprising the rollers 68 and 69 at each of the respective locations extending across the machine, the teeth at longitudinally spaced intervals will punch out the aps 16 and tongues 15. Although, -as shown in the drawings, the tongues 15 are punched from that portion of the expanded metal identified as comprising ridges 14, it will be understood that the tongues, if desired, may be punched from other portions of the expanded metal, even though ridges may also be provided, and particularly for expanded metal where there may be an absence of ridges. The same practice may also follow where, instead of the ridges as shown, raised portions may be substituted in the form of dimples.

When the tongues 15 are punched out of the expanded metal, the tongue in each instance is punched through the sheet 13 making a hole in the sheet as the result of the combined effect of the tongue being driven through the sheet by action of one of the teeth 85 which also is long enough to penetrate the sheet 13. The flaps 16 are punched out by the same teeth 85. When the two sheets leave the set 67 of punch-out rollers, the tongues 15 stick outwardly relative to the sheets and must subsequently be -bent over to the positions shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5.

When first punched out the tongues extend forwardly and upwardly at an obtuse angle relative to the expanded metal. To bend the tongues backwardly past a degree angle prior to passing through the succeeding bending operation, the tabs engage triangular wedge blocks S9, as shown in FIGURE 13, the blocks being mounted successively upon a crossbar 89 at the location shown in FIGURE 6, namely, on the exit side of the perforating roll. The subsequent bending over is accomplished by a set 90 of rollers which are located immediately to the left of the set 67 of rollers as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. The form and relationship of the rollers of the set 90 are shown in FIGURE 8. Brackets 91 and 92 on opposite sides of the bed 26 support a lower shaft 93 and an upper shaft 94 on suitable conventional lbearings 95. A pulley 96 at one end of the shaft 93 over which is reeved a belt 97 may be driven from the shaft 70 by virtue of having the belt engage a pulley 98 thereon.

In a similar fashion the shaft 94 having a pulley 99 thereon may be driven from the shaft Si) having a pulley 100 thereon through a belt 101.

On the shaft 93 is a series of axially spaced rollers 102, the spacing of which conforms with the spacing of the pulleys 68 and teeth 85 and also the spacing of the ridges 14. Matching the rollers 102 is a set of similarly spaced rollers 103 on the shaft 94. The circumferences of the rollers 103 are spaced from the circumferences of the rollers 102 forming spaces 104 as indicated on -FIG- URE 8, the spacing being determined by the thickness of the sheet 10 of expanded metal. As the tongues 15 bent to the new position and accompanied by the sheets 10 and 13 pass beneath the rollers 103 and over the rollers 102, the rollers roll the tongues 15 to the bent position over the flap 16 as shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5. Although there may be some irregularity in the bending over process due in part to irregularity in the punchingout process in the first instance, the irregularity is in fact beneficial. When the tongues are roughly bent into position the irregularity serves to enhance the grip of the tongue and its ragged edge upon the flap 16 and the sheet 13 so as to more firmly fasten it in place. During the rolling down or bending over process, the rollers 102 back up the portion of the expanded metal immediately adjacent the punched-out tongueffas the tongue is forced against the sheet 13, pressing it into engagement with the sheet 10.

Moreover, due in part to the fact that the sheet 13 is engaged at many points simultaneously throughout its expanse, the sheet is held reasonably taut and under mild tision so that it remains spread out flat. After being attached it is firmly held in engagement with the sheet 10 so that the composite sheet consisting of two sheets attached together in this fashion can be easily handled upon being taken from the machine and stacked and tied for shipment.

0n those occasions where there is need for a degree of waterproofing, a Icompound sheet like that illustrated in FIGURES 16 and 17 is preferred. In this instance there is applied to the sheet 10 of expanded metal a series of strips which may be attached at ridges 14 or spaced as desired across the sheet 10 in those instances where no ridges are provided. In the embodiment of FIGURE 16 the sheet 1t) is shown as one without ridges and accordingly the strips lie flush with respect to the surface of the expanded metal. In this instance the strips are fastened by employment of tongues 111 which are punched out and bent over in precisely the same manner as has been described in connection with the tongues 15. Expanded metal is fed to the machine in the same fashion but instead of a large sheet like the sheet 13 being applied to the paper feed 33, the strips 110 are supplied instead. The strips are spaced to the extent sho-wn by suitable guiding means and are aligned with the spacing of the rollers of the set 67 and the rollers of the set 90. In this instance, of course, the forming rollers 42 and 43 are dispensed with.

As the expanded metal having the strips 110 attached thereto as shown and described passes from the set 9d of rollers, a glue roll 112 l cated in alignment with each pair of rollers 1112, 1413 applies a line of glue to the stri-p 110. As a matter of preference the glue roll may be offset laterally slightly with respect to the bent-over tongues 111 so that the glue strip will be continuous and uninterrupted by the punched-out holes. After the glue line has been applied to each of the strips, a waterproof sheet 113 `-co-extensive with the expanded metal is applied and pressed against the glue lines until the glue has set. No extra pressure is needed inasmuch as the pressure exerted as the compo-site strips thus formed are stacked one upon the other may be depended upon to exert suilicient pressure so that the gluing attachment will be accomplished throughout the entire area. By applying an impertorate waterproof sheet in this fashion to the strips 110, the composite sheet thus Lformed takes advantage of the simple, inexpensive, attaching expedient heretofore described and in addition lprovides an imperforate sheet, thus making the composite sheet completely imperforate to whatever degree is achieved by the waterproof character of the sheet 113. The additional expense is little more than the very modest c-ost of the strips 110 and the time consumed in applying the sheet 113 after the glue lines have been traced.

In a modiiied form of the device shown in FIGURE 18 through 2l, inclusive, the composite sheet of material consists of a sheet 126 of ribbed lath which consists of portions 121, 122, 123 and 124 of expanded metal lying between main ribs 125. Secondary ribs 12e lie substantially midway between each pair of main ribs and subordinate ribs 127 Vlie between the main ribs and secondary ribs. In most instances side edges like the side edge 123 of the sheet consist of one of the secondary ribs 126.

The main ribs 12S are imperforate and are relatively deep and somewhat U-shaped in cross-section. The secondary ribs 126 are relatively shallow and frequently dished so that convex sides of the secondary ribs are turned in a direction opposite from convex sides of the main ribs.

A second sheet 13d of relatively thin pliable material such as kraft paper, forgexa'rnple, overlies the main sheet and customarily rests Yupon the convex sides of the main ribs, as shown in FIGURE 19. Lying in this fashion, the second sheet defines a space 131 between the secondary sheet 136 and the sheet 121i or' expanded metal. By determining the depth c-t the space 131 in the manner described, the amount ot plaster which can be sprayed upon the expanded metal sheet 126 is limited in depth by the presence of the second sheetil.

To fasten the second sheet 13@ to the sheet of expanded metal 12%,ttongues 132 of imperorate portions of the main ribs 125 are cut from the main ribs leaving in each instance a hole 13.3. The tongles are cut in the manner heretofore described in connection with the rst described portion of the disclosure. in each instance the tongue 132 bends around an arc 134 and overlies a iiap 13S which is in fact a portion of the second sheet 1311 which is torn out during the cutting out or the tongue 132 and laid over on itself ,producing a double thickness of the material of the second sheet, upon which the tongue 132 lies. The `cutting out of the tongue 132 is preferably a jagged cut, leaving rough edges, so that when the tongue 132 is pressed against the flap 135 and the overlain portion `ot the second sheet 136, there will be a good grip oi the tongue upon the paper, whereby to securely anchor the paper to the rib in each instance.

Good practice suggests that the tongues be spaced at approximately six inch intervals along the main ribs and that the spacing be alternated on adjacent ribs, thereby cutting the longitudinal spacing to onehal the spacing along a single rib.

Inasrnuch as the side edge 128 of the sheet ordinarily consists of one of the second-ary ribs 126, it is advisable to cut out a tongue 11i@ from the appropriate secondary u rib 126, pushing it through an opening 141 in the second sheet 130 and to press the tongue 140 against a ap 142 of material torn from the sheet 130, thereby to anchor the sheet to the seconda-ry rib in each instance.

In View of the need for low cost in providing expanded metal for spray-on techniques, the simple expedient herein described of applying paper or other material attached directly to the expanded metal, either simply, 4as in the rst form, or as an imperforate waterproof backing in the second form, satisfies the need in the form shown` Only a mode-st amount of sprayed-on material will be suicient to adequately coat the expanded metal without prospect of undue accumulation of surplus mortar behind the expanded metal. The material not only is productive ot a great saving in avoiding waste as indicated, but also is oi considerable help in maintaining a very improved, smooth finish on the surface iby reason of the fact that there is no unbalanced accumulation of extra material upon the expanded met-al.

In an ultimate form of the invention applied in particular to ribbed metal lath, paper strips 139 are employed instead of a single overall sheet of paper like the sheet 130 shown in FIGURES 18 and 19, for example. In the form of FIGURE 22 the strips 130 are made slightly narrower than the distance between the main ribs and are 1ocated in position overlying the secondary ribs 126 and subordinate ribs 127. The aim in this form of the invention is to have the strips 130 narrower than the distance between main ribs by a distance suiicient to permit the lather to see through the paper-backed metal lath when nailing the llath to appropriate studs thereby to be able to see the studs and propenly locate nails when nailing the metal lath tast to the wall.

In the form of the invention of FIGURE 22 tongues 132 are punched outwardly from the metal llath preferably in the area of the subordinate ribs 127 the tongues preferably being on six-inch centers having either an inline or staggered pattern, the inline 4pattern being Vthe pattern iliustrat-ed in the drawing.

An advantageous method of accomplishing the attach- -ment suggested in FIGURE 22 is to shear the tongues from the metal lath in 4a punch-out operation making use of .a machine comparable to a punchpress. The tongues 132' in this operation Vare bent outwardly at right angles to the plane of the metal lath one row at a time. Thereafter paper comprising the strips 131) is fed down on top of the vertically standing tongues and the tongues forced through paper by appropriate rollers (not shown) After the paper has been positioned in this fashion with tongues punching through to form holes 133 the tongues are bent down against the paper by operation of another set of rollers. Ragged portions of the tongues 132 in this form also of the invention are useful in firmly :atixing the strips to the metal lath.

While the invention has lherein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and c lpreferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be tlimited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A composite material adapted to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material comprising: a first sheet of expanded metal having a multiplicity of openings therethrough each bounded by a plurality of strands -of said expanded metaal which are integrally joined at positions spaced .about the respective opening, a second sheet of relatively thin, iieXible material overlying said first sheet, attachment means securing said sec-ond sheet to said iirst sheet at each of several individual areas of attachment generally uniformly spaced about said sheets, and each said attachment means comprising a tongue of said expanded metal integral with and extending from said first sheet and through a hole in said second sheet, said tongue comprising multiple irregular free end elements and multiple elongated elements extending in respective different directions whereby to encompass an over-all area relatively greater than the area covered by the elements alone, said tongue overlying a` portion of said first sheet and a portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective hole in said second sheet of areas comparable to the over-all area encompassed by said tongue, said portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective hole `being contacted by and firmly gripped between said elements of said tongue and said portion of said first sheet adjacent the respective hole.

2. A composite material adapted to `be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material, comprising: a first sheet of expanded metal having a multiplicity of openings therethrough each bounded by a plurality of strands of said expanded metal which are integrally joined at positions spaced about the respective opening, a second sheet of relatively thin, tiexible material overlying said rst sheet, attachment means securing said second'sheet to said first sheet at each of several individual points of attachment generally uniformly spaced about said sheets, and each said attachment means comprising a tongue of said expanded metal integral with and extending from said first sheet and through la hole in said second sheet, said tongue comprising multiple irregular end elements and multiple elongated elements extending in respective different directions initially comprehending an area of said first sheet, said tongue in finished position overlying an area of said first sheet adjacent the area initially comprehended by said tongue land of comparable size and overlying a portion of said second sheet of comparable area adjacent the respective hole in said second sheet, said portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective hole vbeing contacted by and firmly gripped between the elements of said tongue and said portion of said first sheet adjacent the respective hole, said tongue comprising a plurality of said strands of said ex-panded metal which :are integrally joined to one another and ext-end in different directions.

3. A composite material adapted to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material comprising: a rst sheet of expanded metal, a second sheet of relatively thin pliable material overlying said first sheet, attachment means securing said second sheet to said first sheet at each of several individual points of attachment generally uniformly spaced about said sheets, each said attachment means comprising a tongue of said expanded metal integral with and extending from said first sheet and through a hole in said second sheet, said second sheet including a flap integrally joined to and extending from an edge of said hole and over a portion of said second sheet adjacent said hole to form with said latter portion a double thickness, said tongue overlying the portions of said first and second sheets adjacent said hole and said flap, said portion of said second sheet adjacent said hole and said fiap thereon being contacted by and firmly gripped between said tongue and said portion of said first sheet adjacent said hole thereby to hold said second sheet against said first sheet.

4. A composite lathing material adapted to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortarlike plastic material, comprising: a sheet of expanded metal, means forming raised portions on said sheet at spaced locations thereon, realtively thin exible paper strips overlying said sheet in contact with said raised portions thereof, attachment means securing said paper strips to said sheet at each of several individual points of attachment generally uniformly spaced about said strips, each said attachment means comprising a tongue of said expanded metal integral with and extending only from a raised portion of said sheet and through a hole in the adjacentY paper strip, the entire free end portion of said tongue overlying the peak of the raised portion of said sheet from which said tongue extends and a portion of the adjacent strip adjacent said hole, said portion of said adjacent strip adjacent said hole being contacted by and firmly gripped between said free end portion of said tongue and the peak of the raised portion of said sheet from which said tongue extends, whereby each said strip is held against its respective adjacent raised portions of said sheet with a gentle yielding pressure, a sheet of moisture resistant material covering said strips and forming a closure over the holes in said paper strips, and means of adhesively bonding said sheet of moisture resistant material to said strips.

5. A composite material adapted to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material, comprising: a first sheet of expanded metal including a multiplicity of openings therethrough, a series of imperforate main ribs disposed in spaced parallel relation, and a series of imperforate second ribs generally parallel to and located substantially midway between said main ribs and along two side edges of said first sheet, a second sheet of relatively thin pliable material overlying said first sheet in contact with said main ribs, and attachment means securing said second sheet to certain of said ribs, said attachment means -comprising tongues integral with and extending from certain of said ribs and through holes in said second sheet, said second sheet having a flap integrally joined to and extended from an edge of each said hole and overlying a portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective hole, and each said tongue overlying, an anchored engagement therewith, said portion of said second sheet and said flap adjacent the hole through which the respective tongue extends.

6. A composite material adapted to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material comprising: a first sheet of expanded metal including a multiplicity of openings therethrough, a series of main ribs disposed in spaced parallel relation and comprising imperforate relatively deep and substantially U- shaped projections with convex sides extending in one transverse direction of said sheet, a series of secondary ribs comprising imperforate relatively shallow projections with convex sides extending in the opposite transverse direction of said sheet and located substantially midway between said main ribs and along two side edges of said sheet, a second sheet of relatively thin pliable material overlying said first sheet in contact with said main ribs, and attachment means securing said second sheet to said first sheet, said attachment means comprising tongues integral with and extending from said main ribs and through holes in said second sheet, said second sheet having a flap extending from and integrally joined to au edge of each of said holes and overlying a portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective hole, and each said tongue overlying, in anchored engagement therewith, said portion of said second sheet and said flap adjacent the hole through which the respective tongue extends.

7. A composite sheet material according to claim 17 wherein: said attachment means further comprises additional tongues integral with and extending from said secondary ribs along said side edges of said first sheet, said additional tongues extending through additional holes in said second sheet, said second sheet having `a ap extending from and integrally joined to an edge of each said additional hole and overlying a portion of said second sheet adjacent the respective additional hole, and each said additional tongue overlying, in anchored engagement therewith, said portion of said second sheet and said fiap adjacent the additional hole through which the respective additional tongue extends.

8. A composite material adapated to be attached to a support for application thereto of a mortar-like plastic material comprising: a first sheet of expanded metal, means forming raised portions on said first sheet at spaced locations thereon, Va second sheet of relatively thin flexible paper overlying said first sheet in contact with said raised portionsthereof, attachment means securing said second sheet to said first sheet at each of several individual points of attachment generally uniformly spaced about said sheets, and each said attachment means comprising a tongue of said expanded metal integral with and extending only from a raised portion of said rst sheet and through a hole in said second sheet, said tongue comprising multiple irregular end elements and multiple elongated elements in respective different directions comprehending an over-al1 area relatively greater than the area covered by the expanded metal elements alone, the entire free end portion of said tongue overlying the peak of the raised portion of said rst sheet from which said tongue extends and a portion of said second sheet adjacent said hole, said portion of said second sheet adjacent said hole being contacted by and gripped between said elements of said tongue and said peak of the raised portion of said rst sheet from which said tongue extends, whereby said second sheet contacts only said raised portions of said rst sheet and is spaced from said first sheet in the regions between said spaced portions, and said second sheet is heid against said raised portions of said i'irst sheet with a gentle yielding pressure and held clear of portions of said first sheet intermediate said raised portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 182,193 9/1876 Holeton 52--465 1,655,091 1/1928 Curtis 52-672 1,705,373 3/ 1929 Renaud 52-451 1,841,905 1/1932 Meiswinkel 52-342 1,967,905 7/ 1934 Roos 53-347 2,098,261 11/1937 Spinosa 52--343 2,139,749 12/1938 Herbest 52-661 2,474,778 6/ 1949 Cross 52--454 2,739,635 3/1956 Seaborne et al. 156-253 2,739,920 3/1956 Martin 156-253 2,772,757 12/1956 Hammond 52-666 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Examiner.

A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOSITE MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO A SUPPORT FOR APPLICATION THERETO OF A MORTAR-LIKE PLASTIC MATERIAL COMPRISING: A FIRST SHEET OF EXPANDED METAL HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH EACH BOUNDED BY A PLURALITY OF STRANDS OF SAID EXPANDED METAL WHICH ARE INTEGRALLY JOINED AT POSITIONS SPACED ABOUT THE RESPECTIVE OPENING, A SECOND SHEET OF RELATIVELY THIN, FLEXIBLE MATERIAL OVERLYING SAID FIRST SHEET, ATTACHMENT MEANS SECURING SAID SECOND SHEET TO SAID FIRST SHEET AT EACH OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL AREAS OF ATTACHMENT GENERALLY UNIFORMLY SPACED ABOUT SAID SHEETS, AND EACH SAID ATTACHMENT MEANS COMPRISING A TONGUE OF SAID EXPANDED METAL INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST SHEET AND THROUGH A HOLE IN SAID SECOND SHEET, SAID TONGUE COMPRISING MULTIPLE IRREGULAR 